Lawyer: Jailed leader plans run for Egyptian president

The World - In Brief

May 8, 2005

CAIRO, Egypt -- A jailed leader of the banned Muslim Brotherhood will challenge Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the September election, his lawyer said Saturday, but the powerful Islamist group said it had not endorsed the challenger. Essam el-Erian and three other leaders of the group were arrested and rounded up with 200 others Friday during nationwide protests for political reform. If el-Erian does take on Mubarak, he would have to do so as an independent because the Brotherhood has been outlawed as a party since 1954.